US Population Density¶
An interactive map showing how crowded different states are, measured in people per square mile.
About This MicroSim¶
This choropleth map visualizes where Americans live:
- Dark green = Most densely populated (500+ people/sq mi)
- Light yellow = Least densely populated (under 25 people/sq mi)
- Hover over any state to see population data and density ranking
Key Concepts Demonstrated¶
- East Coast states are much more densely populated
- Mountain West states have very low population density
- New Jersey is the most densely populated state
- Alaska is the least densely populated
Lesson Plan¶
Learning Objective: Students will analyze population density patterns and explain why some areas have more people.
Bloom's Taxonomy Level: Analyze (L4)
Activities:
- Find Extremes (5 min): Identify the 5 most and least densely populated states
- Pattern Recognition (5 min): Why is the East Coast more crowded than the West?
- Discussion (5 min): What factors attract people to live in certain places?
Technical Notes¶
- Built with Leaflet.js choropleth visualization
- Population data from 2020 US Census
- Density calculated as population รท land area
Related Concepts¶
- Population
- Regions Definition
- Thematic Maps
- Natural Resources